For the most part, New Year's Eve is celebrated in two ways at the South Shore.
One, which pertains mostly to locals, is to stay inside and avoid the hullabaloo associated with the revelry at Stateline.
The second is joining the crazy affair at Stateline.
In regard to the second item, law enforcement agencies in both states are prepared to help people welcome the new year as safely, and legally, as possible.
While the celebration has been a bit muted in the past two years because of bad weather, upward of 65,000 people cram into the casino corridor at Stateline each year.
"I do not anticipate a large number of arrests," said Tahoe Township Justice of the Peace Richard Glasson. "I believe the crowds are going to be orderly, gracious and well-behaved."
To help keep the crowds well-behaved, Douglas County will continue its tradition of ordering out-of-town college students convicted of minor first-time misdemeanors - such as disorderly conduct - to publish their indiscretions in their respective campus newspapers.
Last year, Glasson guessed more than 50 such orders were given, mostly to students in Sacramento.
Coincidentally, Glasson recalled no students from Chico State University were given such directions in the past three years. The idea stemmed from the number of Chico State students arrested during New Year's Eve at Stateline.
"I'm hoping they found somewhere else to go or read their campus newspaper," Glasson said.
South Lake Tahoe police reported 29 arrests last New Year's Eve weekend, when the celebration landed on a Saturday night. Only six arrests happened from 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 6 a.m. New Year's Day.
